Blower apparatus



Aug. 7, 1945. H. F. SCHMIDT 2,381,777

BLOWER APPARATUS Filed Jan. 29, 1944 FIG. I.

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i /-9.\\ WITNESSES: a g .f INVENTOR HENRY F'. ScHMaDT ATTORNEY Patented Aug.A 7, 1945 ATEN f for-Fics Application January 29, 19144, serial No. 520,164

1 Claim.

This invention relates to pumps or blowers of the propeller type, more particularly to those for induced draft use, and has for an object to provide improved means for cooling a bearing thereof subject to heating by the hot fluid being translated by the pump or blower.

Another object ofthe invention is to provide, in an induced draft fan of the propeller type, means for shielding or protecting the bearing from the hot fluid being translated by the apparatus, by the imposition between the bearing and fluid, of a moving stream of cooling fluid or of liquid, or of both.

These and other objects are effected by the invention as will be apparent from the following description and claim taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this application, in which:

Fig. l is a vertical sectional view through a propeller of the induced draft type embodying the principles of the present invention; and,

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line II--II of Fig. 1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Referring now to the drawing more in detail, the numeral ID indicates, in its entirety, a propeller blower of the induced draft type having an outer annular casing structure II and IIa. The casing II-IIa provides a passage I2 for flow of fluid, the passage comprising an inlet portion I3 and an outlet portion I4 joined by an intermediate portion I5.

The propeller shaft I 'I is disposed axially of the casing II, in the intermediate portion I5 of the passage, and has secured at its upper end a propeller hub I8, carrying a plurality of propeller blades I9. A fairing member 20, supported from the casing II by discharge guide varies 2I, is aligned with the propeller hub I8.

At the inlet side of the hub I8 is an inner annular casing 22, aligned with the hub and secured through inlet guide vanes 23 to the outer casing II. The inner casing 22 has an extension portion 24 terminating at the opening 25 in the side of the outer casing IIa, the casing extension 24, as well as the inner casing 22, being concentrically disposed about the shaft I'I and serving to separate the latter from the liuid passage within the outer casing II--I Ia. A

A bearing 30 for the upper end of the shaft I'I is positioned near the upper end of the inner casing 22, and is supported from the latter by a pair of disc-like members 3| and 32.' A similar disc-like member 33 serves to close the lower end of the inner casing 22. A plurality of anduit 60, the chamber being provided with a plu' nular partition members 35, 36, 3l and 38 are arranged concentrically about the shaft I'I, betweenthe latter and the inner casing 2,2, and extend axially from the upper disc-like member 3I to the lower disc-like member 33, and provide a plurality of annular chambers 40, 4I, 42, 43 and 44. A conduit 46 conveys lubricant to a passage 4l formed in the bearing and communicating with the journal-supporting surface thereof. Lubricant discharged from the bearing returns through the passages 48 to the annular chamber 4I] and from there through the conduit 49, to a reservoir (not shown), or other suitable receptacle.

The annular chamber 4I provides for vertical now of cooling air to the space 52 between axially-spaced glands 53 and 54, positioned between the bearing 3|] and the propeller hub I8. With this arrangement, any subatmospheric pressure conditions existing adjacent the inlet edges of the propeller blades, tending to induce flow of fluid along the shaft between the bearing 36 and the propeller hub I8, will be satised by the flow of air from the space 52 between the two glands 53 and 54. If air were not supplied to this space 52 through the annular chamber 4I, the subatmospheric conditions might result in undesired flow of lubricant from the bearing 3| to lthis region of low pressure.

The annular chamber 42 likewise provides for flow of air to the region of low pressure, but without passing through the space between the glands 53 and 54, this flow of air not only minimizing the effects of any low pressure upon the lubricant in the bearing, but also serving to present a moving barrier of air against passage of heat to the bearing 30 from the hot fluid being translated by the propeller.

The annular chamber 43 is supplied with cooling liquid, for example, water, through the conrality of vertical partitions 6I, resulting in circuitous now of water through the chamber to the discharge conduit 62 leading therefrom.

Cooling water is also supplied through the branch conduit 64 to an annular chamber 65 surrounding the bearing 30, this water lbeing returned through the branch conduit 66.

The outermost annular chamber 44 functions in the same manner as the annular chamber 42 to provide a moving barrier of air against flow of `heat to the bearing from the hot iiuid translated by the apparatus.

As indicated in Fig. 2, the annular chambers 4I, 42 and44 are provided with partition structures 10, 'Il and 12, respectively, serving to direct the air therethrough in circuitous paths for added heat transfer effect.

While the invention has been shown in but one form, it willbe obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible of various changes and modifications Without departing from the spirit thereof, and it is desired,

passage and including a hub secured to the shaft and a plurality of blades carried by the hub; an inner annular casing coaxial with the shaft and the outer casing and located therebetween in the inlet portion of the passage; pre-twist guide vanes supporting the inner casing from the outer casing; a radial bearing for the shaft and positioned near the propeller` within and supported from the inner casing; means providing a plurality of axially-aligned concentrically-disposed annular chambers between the inner casing and the bearing; means for supplying lubricant to the bearing through the innermost of said chambers; means for supplying cooling air to at least one other of said chambers; and means for supplying cooling Water to yet another of said chambers.

HENRY F. SCHMIDT. 

